Bengals QB Carson Palmer's Cincinnati house under contract

Quarterback Carson Palmer appears to be one step closer to severing ties with the Bengals.

The signal caller's house in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill is under contract, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Palmer put his five-bedroom, five-acre property on the market for an asking price of $2.1 million in late March, after vowing to retire if he wasn't released or traded by the Bengals.

Perhaps preparing for life without Palmer, the Bengals selected TCU QB Andy Dalton with the 35th overall pick in April's NFL draft. The Bengals also drafted standout Georgia WR A.J. Green with their first pick, signaling a potential overhaul on offense. Still, head coach Marvin Lewis indicated last week that if Palmer were to change his mind and return, he would be the team's starter.

Palmer has four years and $53 million remaining on his current contract. The ninth-year pro is scheduled to make $11.5 million in base salary in 2011-12.

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About Nate Davis

Nate Davis is a reporter, blogger and editor who's been at USA TODAY since 2000. He has covered the NFL since 2005. No, he did not play quarterback for Ball State. Davis' succession of our esteemed colleague Sean Leahy at The Huddle is considered a Brady-for-Bledsoe swap by most "insiders."More about Nate